Book Review: Miss Caroline Bingley, Private Detective by Kelly Gardiner & Sharmini Kumar

I’ve always been intrigued by the characters of Jane Austen’s world, and I was thrilled to discover Miss Caroline Bingley, Private Detective—a fresh take on one of her lesser-loved characters. Caroline Bingley, who was typically portrayed as snobbish and scheming in Pride and Prejudice, gets an entirely new spin here, and I loved every moment of it.

Set two years after the events of Pride and Prejudice, the story kicks off when Caroline, bored with the socialite life at her brother’s country estate, decides to get involved in a mystery. When Georgiana Darcy’s maid, Jayani, vanishes, and Georgiana herself disappears while searching for her, Caroline is suddenly thrust into an investigation. Caroline, with her sharp wit and superior attitude, quickly proves herself to be more than capable of solving the mystery, aided by her ever-loyal manservant, Gordon.

What really grabbed me was how this book mixes a compelling mystery with sharp social commentary. The authors balance witty, Austen-esque dialogue with a dark, gritty adventure through London’s underbelly, and the exploration of the impact of Empire and colonialism adds an unexpected depth. The way Caroline and Georgiana navigate this world is both thrilling and eye-opening, as Caroline uses her wealth and sharp mind to challenge the limits placed on women of her time.

The mystery itself is engaging—filled with twists, murders, shady characters, and plenty of tension. I loved how the authors also gave Caroline a chance to show her growth, becoming more than just the character we love to dislike in the original novel. There’s a real depth to her here, and I found myself rooting for her throughout the story.

The humor is sharp and delightful—Caroline’s snarky remarks and observations are exactly what you’d expect from her, but there’s a vulnerability to her as well. Watching her develop into a true detective was both fun and rewarding. I found myself laughing out loud at some of her more biting comments, but I also admired her determination and resourcefulness.

Miss Caroline Bingley, Private Detective is a brilliant mix of cozy crime, historical fiction, and Jane Austen-inspired wit. If you love historical mysteries, strong female sleuths, and Austen retellings with a twist, this book is an absolute must-read. It’s original, immersive, and just plain fun. I’m already looking forward to more adventures with Caroline Bingley!

Rating: 4/5
A clever, witty, and utterly charming historical mystery that reinvents one of Austen’s most iconic characters. Highly recommend!

This was so annoying but wonderful all at the same time. I love Pride & prejudice and will read any spin off books about it and their characters. Miss Bingley seems to have been completely reinvented from the 1995 TV adaptation version that I see as I read and she’s great friends with Georgiana amongst other slight details . However its a fun read, as well as being a great study of the class system and what is deemed proper for a young lady. I do hope that it continues as I did enjoy seeing the character development.
Thank you for the opportunity to read this book.

Move over Pride and Prejudice, it’s Miss Bingley’s chance in the spotlight. It’s two years on since Lizzy and Darcy wed and Caroline is staying with her brother and Lizzy’s sister Jane – her sister-in-law. Georgiana Darcy’s maid Jayani vanishes, with Miss Darcy following, hoping to find her, which leads Caroline to London and to search for them both. Cue a murder, and Miss Bingley showing a whole lot of resilience as she traverses London for clues and answers. It’s far from shady characters from which she was brought up, but let’s just say there’s a depth to Miss Bingley that is very impressive.

Perfect if you like anything as long as it has a Jane Austen theme. The concept is great but it unfortunately reads like dashed-off fan fiction, with poor character development, thin plot and no sense of historical atmosphere.

It's good to be back in the world where the name Darcy can be dropped casually into conversation.
It was nice to get to know Caroline Bingley better.
She turned out to be much nicer and much sparkler than I had ever imagined.
Not afraid to go wherever she needed, and do whatever was needed to uncover the truth.
Unfortunately Georgiana came across as quite wet in comparison.
A fun read, with a hint of menace at times.. enjoyable.

I really hope that this is the first book in a series because I really liked where this book left Caroline Bingley. She made some flubs along the way so it wasn't like she was a perfect, flawless detective from the very start, but she admitted when she was wrong and was trying to do better (which endeared her to me a bit more) and she had the right instincts. It was a really original story and a fresh take on Jane Austen's characters. I'd like to read more stories as she becomes even more competent as a private detective.

Disclaimer: I received an Advance Reader Copy from NetGalley but this is my voluntary and honest review.